Hollywood once spun a wild yarn about “Cocaine Bear,” a hapless black bear that gorged itself on lost narcotics. It turns out the plot has a saltwater sequel. In coastal Brazil, “cocaine sharks” - petite Brazilian sharpnose sharks - are cruising through drug-laden surf, minding their own business - and absorbing far more than sunshine.



The tale sounds like clickbait, yet it is anchored in hard numbers. Seawater sampled near the crowded <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Santos" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Port of Santos</a> - Latin America’s busiest harbor - contained <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-can-help-us-understand-cocaine-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cocaine concentrations</a> on par with caffeine. 



Those waters eventually lap against popular beaches only a few miles away. Juvenile sharks captured for study later returned chemical readings that would make any toxicologist wince. 



Sharks on cocaine? Believe it!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cocaine-small-sharks-big-questions">Cocaine, small sharks, big questions</h2>



Barely 20 inches from snout to tail, <a href="https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/2694" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rhizoprionodon lalandii</a> hardly fits the image of a fearsome predator. These nimble hunters weigh less than a quart of milk yet punch above their size in local food webs. 



They became the focus of marine toxicologist Gabriel de Farias Araujo and ecotoxicologist Enrico Mendes Saggioro at Brazil’s <a href="https://www.ioc.fiocruz.br/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oswaldo Cruz Institute</a> after a late-night brainstorming session about invisible pollutants and overlooked species.



The researchers spent weeks prowling estuaries in small boats, setting gill nets at dawn and dusk when sharpnoses patrol the shallows. Thirteen juvenile and young adult sharks were taken back to the lab, packed in ice.



Chromatography showed every fish carried cocaine plus hefty doses of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoylecgonine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benzoylecgonine</a>, the drug’s chief metabolite. 



Levels dwarfed those seen in most aquatic surveys, pointing to chronic exposure rather than a one-off snort from floating contraband.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-drugs-pollute-ocean-waters">How drugs pollute ocean waters</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pharmaceutical-pollution-changes-the-behavior-of-atlantic-salmon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pharmaceutical pollution</a> is a worldwide headache, but Brazil faces an outsized share because it is a major transit hub for cocaine. 



Much of the drug winds up in wastewater after human use, slipping past treatment plants that were never designed to neutralize narcotics. In hot, crowded cities, a single facility may discharge millions of gallons of partially treated effluent each day.



Add in discarded bales tossed overboard by smugglers and residue from clandestine labs hidden along rivers, and the result is a steady trickle of cocaine into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mangroves-can-quickly-recover-carbon-lost-to-climate-extremes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mangroves and estuaries</a>. 



Tidal mixing and mangrove roots slow water flow, allowing chemicals to linger. By the time currents, wind, and rain have done their spreading, fish, crustaceans, and filter feeders are marinating in a diluted yet persistent cocktail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-cocaine-does-underwater">What cocaine does underwater</h2>



Exactly how cocaine tweaks a shark’s physiology remains an open question, but parallel studies on other species offer troubling clues. 



Zebrafish embryos exposed to tiny doses show reduced cell vitality and greater DNA fragmentation, hinting at developmental risks. 



In European eels, swimming through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-cocaine-tricks-and-hijacks-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cocaine-tainted</a> water alters muscle performance and accelerates exhaustion, making long migrations harder.



Sharks may experience similar stress. Even subtle interference with neurotransmitters such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-dopamine-and-serotonin-shape-behavior/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dopamine and serotonin</a> could blunt the electroreception they use to find prey. 



Over time, that handicap translates into slower growth and lower survival, eroding populations already pressured by overfishing and habitat loss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loading-the-food-chain">Loading the food chain</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cocaine-use-detected-in-the-brains-of-17th-century-mummies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cocaine</a> is not picky about hosts. Once it slips into the water, it is readily absorbed by plankton and small invertebrates hovering at the base of the food web. 



Brazilian sharpnose sharks, prowling for sardines and shrimp, take in a double dose: the drug dissolved in seawater and the bolus stored in their prey.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cocaine-shark_benzoylecgonine_brazil-waters_infographic_credit-SOTE_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cocaine-shark_benzoylecgonine_brazil-waters_infographic_credit-SOTE_1s.webp" alt="How Brazil's sharpnose sharks, High seas: The surprising but true tale of Brazil’s ‘cocaine sharks’ - Rhizoprionodon lalandii, ingest cocaine. Credit: Oswaldo Cruz Institute" class="wp-image-1972758"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">How Brazil's sharpnose sharks, High seas: The surprising but true tale of Brazil’s ‘cocaine sharks’ - Rhizoprionodon lalandii, ingest cocaine. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Oswaldo Cruz Institute</figcaption></figure>



The study recorded tissue concentrations up to one hundred times higher than levels measured in other marine organisms. 



Such biomagnification means that apex predators - larger sharks, dolphins, even seabirds - could be accumulating unexpected pharmaceutical payloads without leaving obvious forensic clues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-wider-pollution-picture">The wider pollution picture</h2>



Cocaine is only one piece of a sprawling chemical mosaic. Researchers have spotted antidepressants in Great Lakes perch, epilepsy drugs in British river otters, and methamphetamines in Czech trout. 



Each compound nudges behavior and metabolism in its own way, yet they mingle in the same waterways and sometimes interact.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-ocean-warming-in-2024-is-a-warning-for-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warmer seas</a> driven by climate change add another wrinkle by speeding biochemical reactions and altering currents. 



Altered predator-prey dynamics, skewed reproductive cycles, and shifts in migration routes can ripple outward, reshaping entire ecosystems faster than regulators can adapt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-cocaine-away-from-sharks">Keeping cocaine away from sharks</h2>



Araujo and Saggioro argue that sharper monitoring is the first step toward relief. 



Upgrading wastewater plants with activated carbon filters, cracking down on illegal dumping, and tracing pollution hot spots with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/airborne-dna-can-track-wildlife-diseases-and-even-drugs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental DNA</a> surveys would help tighten the tap before drugs reach the open ocean.



Roughly one-third of shark and ray species already teeter on the edge because of overfishing. Pharmaceutical runoff piles on yet another hurdle. 



Curbing drug pollution is less about finger-wagging at individual users and more about safeguarding coral nurseries, fisheries, and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-flooding-is-happening-far-more-often-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal communities</a> that depend on them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one-ocean-shared-responsibility">One ocean, shared responsibility</h2>



The presence of cocaine in Brazilian sharpnose sharks is more than a catchy headline. It is a plain reminder that human habits seep into the sea in ways we seldom notice. 



Cleaning up after ourselves should never be looked at as just a charitable act of kindness for wildlife. 



Not only is it our responsibility as the dominant species on the planet, it's an investment in the stability of ecosystems, biodiversity, and global food chains that humans ultimately rely on. The ocean does not recognize national borders, so every watershed matters.



Solving the problem will take cooperation from chemists, wastewater engineers, legislators, and everyday citizens. 



Until then, the next time a ripple of seawater brushes your ankles, keep in mind the curious little shark beneath the surface - and the silent stimulant drifting alongside it.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724049477" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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'Cocaine sharks' found off the coast of Brazil - strange but true tale of ocean pollution gone awry

Hollywood once spun a wild yarn about “Cocaine Bear,” a hapless black bear that gorged itself on lost narcotics. It turns out the plot has a saltwater sequel. In coastal Brazil, “cocaine sharks” - petite Brazilian sharpnose sharks - are cruising through drug-laden surf, minding their own business - and absorbing far more than sunshine. The tale sounds like clickbait, yet it is anchored in hard numbers. Seawater sampled near the crowded Port of Santos - Latin America’s busiest harbor - contained cocaine concentrations on par with...

Signals from navigation satellites, radio broadcasts, and distant spacecraft all squeeze through a thin, electrified veil in Earth's atmosphere called the ionosphere. Stretching from about 50 miles to nearly 400 miles up, this region bristles with charged particles set loose by daylight. 



After sunset, that energy settles, but not always in the tidy pattern engineers expect. A new set of nighttime snapshots shows the plasma folding itself into unexpected letters of the alphabet - and that spelling lesson matters for everyone who relies on an accurate map or clear call.



Most evenings, two broad ribbons of extra-dense plasma form on either side of Earth’s magnetic equator. Together they make the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023SW003737" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Equatorial Ionization Anomaly</a>, a feature first charted in the 1940s and long blamed for after-dark radio static. 



The bands usually stay parallel like lanes on a highway. Yet recent images from NASA’s Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (<a href="https://gold.cs.ucf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GOLD</a>) satellite reveal that the lanes sometimes twist, mingle, and collide without warning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-finds-x-shapes">GOLD finds X shapes</h2>



GOLD was launched in 2018 and is parked in geostationary orbit, hovering above the Western Hemisphere. Its ultraviolet camera keeps a constant watch on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-rocket-launch-ripped-a-hole-in-earths-ionosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ionosphere’s nighttime glow</a>, offering a movie instead of a snapshot. 



That continuous view helped researchers led by Fazlul Laskar at the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (<a href="https://lasp.colorado.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LASP</a>) spot a striking crossover pattern they call the EIA-X. 



“Earlier reports of merging had appeared only during geomagnetically disturbed conditions - so its presence during geomagnetically quiet conditions was unexpected,” said Laskar, whose team detailed the findings in a comprehensive study published in JGR.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/earth-upper-atmosphere_x-shaped-structures_unexplained_NASA-Gold-Mission_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/earth-upper-atmosphere_x-shaped-structures_unexplained_NASA-Gold-Mission_1s.webp" alt="This visualization shows C-shaped and reverse-C-shaped plasma bubbles appearing close together in the ionosphere on Oct. 12, 2020, and Dec. 26, 2021, as observed by NASA’s GOLD mission (Credit: NASA’s Visualization Studio)" class="wp-image-1972740"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This visualization shows C-shaped and reverse-C-shaped plasma bubbles appearing close together in the ionosphere on Oct. 12, 2020, and Dec. 26, 2021, as observed by NASA’s GOLD mission. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA’s Visualization Studio</figcaption></figure>



Computer simulations back up the X shapes that GOLD saw. When winds in the upper atmosphere slide downward over the magnetic equator just before sunset, they can shove the twin crests toward each other. 



The meeting point seen by GOLD lights up as an X. Simulations also hint that waves rising from lower layers of air lend an extra nudge, showing once again that weather near the ground can echo all the way to space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-quiet-skies-turn-chaotic">When quiet skies turn chaotic</h2>



The ionosphere is famous for mood swings during solar storms, but GOLD surprised scientists by catching the X shapes on nights when the Sun was calm. 



“The X is odd because it implies that there are far more localized driving factors,” said Jeffrey Klenzing, a physicist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> who was not part of Laskar’s modeling team. 



Detecting an X during a lull means forecasters must pay closer attention to subtle tides and winds bubbling up from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-activities-are-increasing-ozone-in-the-upper-troposphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">troposphere</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-travel-has-left-a-metal-mark-on-earths-stratosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stratosphere</a>, not just flares erupting 93 million miles away.



EIA-X episodes do not last long. They blossom after dusk and fade toward midnight, but while active they can bend radio waves enough to throw off a GPS fix by more than a few dozen feet - an error that matters to a surveyor, an oil tanker, or a precision-guided tractor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-x-marks-equator-on-gold-satellite">X marks equator on GOLD satellite</h2>



Tracking these brief crossovers requires wide-angle coverage. Because GOLD spins with Earth, it records the same longitude continuously and can watch the EIA-X blossom over South America for hours at a stretch. 



That window showed that the crossover sometimes stretches thousands of miles east-to-west before dissolving. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/earth-upper-atmosphere_x-shaped-structures-2020-2021_NASA-Gold-Mission_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/earth-upper-atmosphere_x-shaped-structures-2020-2021_NASA-Gold-Mission_1s.webp" alt="Images from NASA’s GOLD mission show C-shaped and reverse-C-shaped plasma bubbles appearing close together in the ionosphere on Oct. 12, 2020, and Dec. 26, 2021. Credit: NASA/D.Karan" class="wp-image-1972742"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Images from NASA’s GOLD mission show C-shaped and reverse-C-shaped plasma bubbles appearing close together in the ionosphere on Oct. 12, 2020, and Dec. 26, 2021. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/D.Karan</figcaption></figure>



At other times it stays confined to a single time zone, hinting that several different atmospheric recipes can cook up an X.



“It’s a little like a tree growing in a windy area,” explains Klenzing. Wind direction changes with height, while magnetic field lines act like guy wires, shaping the plasma just as gusts bend a sapling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-curious-curves-mystery-winds">Curious curves, mystery winds</h2>



GOLD also discovered plasma bubbles that curve into C-shapes or reverse-C-shapes instead of running straight along magnetic field lines. 



“Such closely spaced, opposite-shaped plasma bubbles had never been predicted or imaged before,” said Deepak Karan of LASP, who reported the odd pairing in November 2023. 



The team saw a normal C and a mirror-image reverse-C only about 400 miles apart - roughly the drive from Baltimore to Boston. That distance is tiny by ionospheric standards.



Winds that strengthen with altitude appear to sculpt a forward C, while winds that weaken carve the reverse. Having both shapes side by side suggests that whirling vortices or fierce shear layers lurk in the upper atmosphere. 



“The fact that we have very different shapes of bubbles this close together tells us that the dynamics of the atmosphere is more complex than we expected,” Klenzing said. 



And the stakes are high: “It’s really important to find out why this is happening,” Karan said. “If a vortex or very strong shear forms in the plasma, it can completely distort that region. Signals will be lost completely with a strong disturbance like this.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alphabet-matters-down-here">Alphabet matters down here</h2>



Pilots, emergency responders, and power-grid operators all rely on forecasts of space weather. An unexpected X or C in the ionosphere can enlarge positioning errors, garble high-frequency radio, and even trip protective relays in long transmission lines. 



Because GOLD spots these shapes in real time, engineers may soon receive alerts that flag vulnerable regions before signals stray. 



The mission’s data feed also helps scientists refine computer models that drive tomorrow’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electron-activity-in-auroras-will-help-us-understand-space-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space-weather</a> bulletins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-missions-to-figure-out-x-events">Future missions to figure out X events</h2>



Only two close C-shaped pairings and a handful of X events have appeared in GOLD’s catalog so far, yet each one pushes researchers to widen their search. 



New missions such as NASA’s upcoming <a href="https://lws.larc.nasa.gov/gdc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geospace Dynamics Constellation</a> will add low-Earth-orbit perspectives, offering a 3-D look at plasma motions. 



Combined with ground-based radars and all-sky cameras, those views promise to turn today’s alphabet soup into tomorrow’s readable forecast - a forecast that could keep your next GPS route on the right road and your next phone call crisp and clear.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023JA032224" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics</a>.



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NASA unexpectedly finds 'X-shaped structures' in Earth’s upper atmosphere, which they can’t fully explain

Signals from navigation satellites, radio broadcasts, and distant spacecraft all...

A new study has revealed that carbon stored deep in Earth’s landscapes for thousands - or even millions - of years is making its way back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide released from river surfaces.



This discovery changes our understanding of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-plankton-play-a-big-role-in-the-global-carbon-cycle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global carbon cycle</a> and suggests that plants and soils are playing an even bigger role in removing carbon from the air than previously believed.



Led by scientists at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, the international research team found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-disrupting-the-seasonal-flow-of-rivers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rivers</a> across the world are releasing carbon not just from recent organic material but also from much older sources. This ancient carbon comes from deep soil layers and even weathered rock.



“The results took us by surprise because it turns out that old carbon stores are leaking out much more into the atmosphere than previous estimates suggested,” said lead author Josh Dean, an associate professor of biogeochemistry at Bristol.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-carbon-emerges-unexpectedly">Deep carbon emerges unexpectedly</h2>



Previously, scientists assumed that the gases released from rivers - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-sources-of-methane-emissions-from-rivers-and-streams/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">methane</a> and carbon dioxide - mostly came from recent plant matter that had decayed and washed into the water within the last 70 years.



But this study found something different. More than half - around 60% - of the CO2 released by rivers actually comes from carbon that has been buried underground for centuries to millennia.



“The implications are potentially huge for our understanding of global carbon emissions," Dean said. "<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-may-stop-absorbing-carbon-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/">P</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-may-stop-absorbing-carbon-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-may-stop-absorbing-carbon-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/">ants</a> and trees take up CO2 from the atmosphere and can then lock this carbon away in soils for thousands of years.”



“Our findings show some of this old carbon, as well as ancient carbon from rocks, is leaking sideways into rivers and making its way back to the atmosphere.”



Although it's unclear how human activity influences the release of ancient carbon, researchers found that plants and trees are currently absorbing more atmospheric carbon to offset this unrecognized release.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-river-investigation">A global river investigation</h2>



The research team examined over 700 river reaches from 26 countries across every continent except Antarctica.



Using advanced radiocarbon dating techniques, they measured the age of carbon dioxide and methane released from rivers.



By analyzing the amount of carbon-14, an isotope that helps scientists determine how old a sample is, they were able to distinguish between “young” carbon and ancient sources.



“We discovered that around half of the emissions are young, while the other half are much older, released from deep soil layers and rock weathering that were formed thousands and even millions of years ago,” said co-author Bob Hilton, a professor of sedimentary geography at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-carbon-changes-climate-math">Hidden carbon changes climate math</h2>



Rivers are often overlooked in climate discussions, but they play a critical role in the carbon cycle.



Globally, rivers release about two gigatons of carbon each year. In comparison, human activity emits around 10 to 15 gigatons annually.



This makes river emissions a significant part of the natural carbon flow - one that scientists are now realizing is more dynamic than previously believed.



“These river emissions are significant at a global scale, and we’re showing that over half of these emissions may be coming from carbon stores we considered relatively stable," said co-author Gemma Coxon, an associate professor of hydrology at Bristol. "This means we need to re-evaluate these crucial parts of the global carbon cycle.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-carbon-emissions-need-review">Old carbon emissions need review</h2>



The discovery opens up several new questions. If ancient carbon is routinely leaking back into the atmosphere through rivers, how might that flow change over time - especially as the climate warms and human activity reshapes the land?



The team plans to continue its research by investigating how the age of river carbon emissions varies in areas not captured in the current study, and whether those patterns have shifted historically.



By reshaping our understanding of where carbon emissions originate, this study also underscores the vital role of natural ecosystems in counterbalancing those emissions.



According to the researchers, plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-may-trigger-rapid-release-of-soil-carbon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soils</a> may already be compensating for this unexpected source by pulling roughly one extra gigaton of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year.



The findings highlight the need for more accurate carbon budgets as policymakers and scientists work to address climate change. 



Understanding the hidden sources and sinks of carbon in the environment isn’t just a scientific activity - it’s essential for building effective strategies to reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-hidden-sources-of-greenhouse-gases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse gases</a> and protect our planet’s future.



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Rivers are releasing a massive amount of carbon dioxide into the air

A new study has revealed that carbon stored deep in...

Underwater,Photo,Nudibranches,On,The,Sand,Sea,Life

Most of Earth’s surface lies hidden beneath miles of saltwater on the deep ocean floor. Almost every breath we take and every weather pattern we watch on the evening news depends on what happens there, yet humans have seen very little of it. 



The deep sea - water deeper than about 656 feet - covers two-thirds of our planet, but we’ve seen little of it with our own eyes. 



An ambitious new analysis shows how little: less than 0.001 percent of the deep seafloor has ever been photographed.



That fraction is smaller than a single blade of grass on a football field, and it leaves scientists making big decisions from a sliver of evidence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-deep-ocean-is-unexplored">Earth's deep ocean is unexplored</h2>



Dr. Katy Croff Bell of the <a href="https://www.oceandiscoveryleague.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Discovery League</a> led the team that pored over records from roughly 44,000 dives going back to 1958. 



She and her colleagues found that, if every picture ever taken of the deep seafloor were stitched together, the patchwork would cover an area about the size of Rhode Island. It is also only one-tenth the size of Belgium, a country many travelers cross by train before lunch.



“As we face accelerated threats to the deep ocean - from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-mitigate-climate-change-with-deep-ocean-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a> to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sea-mining-impacts-marine-life-for-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential mining</a> and resource exploitation - this limited exploration of such a vast region becomes a critical problem for both science and policy,” she says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploration-record-thinner-than-hair">Exploration record thinner than hair</h2>



The tally of dives might sound impressive until you consider scale. The study looked at 66 percent of Earth’s surface and found that almost 30 percent of all visual observations were captured before 1980, often with grainy black-and-white film. 



Nearly two-thirds of the images were taken within 230 miles of the United States, Japan, or New Zealand. Five well-funded nations - the United States, Japan, New Zealand, France, and Germany - conducted 97 percent of documented deep-sea <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underwater-volcano-becomes-a-natural-incubator-for-thousands-of-live-skate-eggs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">submersible missions</a>.



“If the scientific community were to make all assumptions about terrestrial ecosystems from observations of only 0.001 percent of that total area,” the authors explain, “they would be basing their assessments of all land-based life on Earth on an area roughly the size of Houston, Texas.” The mismatch is staggering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-ocean-and-daily-life-on-earth">Deep ocean and daily life on Earth</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-satellite-is-rewriting-what-we-know-about-ocean-currents/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deep-sea currents</a> shuttle heat around the globe, shaping the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-accelerate-jet-stream-winds-and-airplane-turbulence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jet stream</a> and steering hurricanes. 



Microbes living in darkness help produce much of the planet’s oxygen and store vast amounts of carbon in ocean sediments. 



Medicines drawn from deep-sea sponges and corals already fight cancer, infection, and pain. 



When warm surface conditions change, the deep absorbs or releases heat, moderating the climate we feel at street level. 



Yet policies on seabed mining, carbon storage, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-marine-protected-areas-boost-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine conservation</a> often proceed with almost no direct visual evidence of what is at stake.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-technology-bottleneck">The technology bottleneck</h2>



Cost sits at the heart of the problem. A single day at sea on a modern research vessel can cost more than $50,000, and deploying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-baby-colossal-squid-captured-on-video-for-the-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)</a> or crewed submersibles adds many thousands more. 



Hardware built to survive pressures that would crush a car must be rugged and thoroughly tested, which inflates budgets. Not surprisingly, most countries choose to spend limited research funds closer to shore.



A new generation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exo-auvs-searching-for-life-on-alien-ocean-worlds-will-involve-robots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)</a>, however, is changing the calculus. Backpack-size AUVs now map seabeds, hover over vents, and capture high-definition video for a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. 



Open-source control software and modular sensor bays make these robots easier to maintain far from large laboratories. 



Once such tools move into wider circulation, regions long ignored by oceanographers could come into view.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uneven-map-carved-by-wealth">Uneven map carved by wealth</h2>



History shows how priorities follow money. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union probed submarine canyons in part to understand undersea warfare. 



Japan’s focus on nearby trenches and volcanic arcs reflects earthquake research. Europe’s dive records cluster along commercial telecommunication cable routes and proposed mining sites. 



All of this skews scientific ideas about what “typical” deep-sea life looks like. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-pigs-unicumbers-strange-stunning-creatures-discovered-abyssal-plains-ccz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abyssal plains</a> - those seemingly flat regions more than 13,000 feet down - cover nearly half of the deep ocean yet remain among the least photographed places on Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-closing-the-gap-with-new-tools">Closing the gap with new tools</h2>



“There is so much of our ocean that remains a mystery. Deep-sea exploration led by scientists and local communities is crucial to better understanding the planet’s largest ecosystem," says Dr. Ian Miller of the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Geographic Society</a>, which helped fund the work. 



"Dr. Bell’s goals to equip global coastal communities with cutting-edge research and technology will ensure a more representative analysis of the deep sea. If we have a better understanding of our ocean, we are better able to conserve and protect it.”



Community-based programs already train researchers from small island nations to operate compact ROVs launched from fishing boats. 



Low-cost cameras pressure-rated to 20,000 feet can be paired with baited frames to document undiscovered species. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-ocean-currents-play-a-huge-role-in-earths-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Artificial intelligence</a> now sifts thousands of images overnight, flagging potential new organisms for human review.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-earth-s-deep-ocean-floors">Future of Earth's deep ocean floors</h2>



Policymakers face a pivotal choice. They can green-light deep-sea mining concessions and expand distant-water fishing with scant imagery to guide them, or they can invest in the tools that pull back the curtain on the largest habitat on Earth. 



Every pixel gathered from the abyss fills a yawning gap in our knowledge and, perhaps, in our stewardship. 



The deep ocean’s story is still mostly unwritten. With shared technology and broader participation, the next chapter could finally show the full picture rather than a sliver of evidence.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp8602" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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99.999% of Earth's deep ocean floor has still never been seen by humans

Most of Earth’s surface lies hidden beneath miles of saltwater...

Flooding has become an unwelcome visitor to many coastal neighborhoods. For a long time, official records suggested these floods were rare. But new research shows they are happening much more often than previously believed - and we may have been measuring them incorrectly.



The risks extend beyond storm surges and times of heavy rain. Even calm, sunny days can bring rising water into streets and homes.



Scientists from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Carolina State University</a> and UNC Chapel Hill have taken a closer look. The study reveals that relying on marine water-level data - the standard method for tracking floods - misses a big part of the story.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flood-data-under-scrutiny">Flood data under scrutiny</h2>



Miyuki Hino is a corresponding author of the study and an assistant professor of city and regional planning at UNC.



“Government agencies and researchers use data from tide gauges to measure water levels in coastal areas, then use that data to estimate flood frequency in the region,” said Hino. “Those estimates are used both to assess how often flooding has taken place and to predict how often it may take place in the future."



The study reveals that current flood assessments underestimate both the frequency and duration of flooding events. This matters now more than ever. 



“Due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-cities-will-spend-over-3-trillion-dollars-damages-from-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea-level rise</a>, we’re now seeing flooding in coastal areas outside of extreme storms like hurricanes,” said Katherine Anarde, assistant professor of coastal engineering at NC State.



“There can be flooding during everyday rain showers or at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-tide-flooding-will-rapidly-increase-along-the-u-s-coastline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high tide</a> on sunny days. It’s important that the methodology we use to monitor and predict flooding reflects this reality, since sea-level rise means these flooding events are going to become even more common."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-tools-for-flooding">Better tools for flooding</h2>



Tide gauges have been the backbone of flood measurement in coastal areas. Agencies often rely on thresholds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) to infer inundation based on water levels. 



However, these measurements are made offshore - not where people live, work, and drive. The researchers, part of the Sunny Day Flooding Project, wanted to change that. They built a network of land-based sensors that can detect floods on roads.



These new sensors were placed across three North Carolina communities: Beaufort, Carolina Beach, and Sea Level. Over the course of a year, the sensors picked up a surprising number of high-water events: 26 days in Beaufort, 65 days in Carolina Beach, and a striking 128 days in Sea Level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-numbers-don-t-add-up">The numbers don't add up</h2>



“These numbers were very different from what the HTF and NWS thresholds tell us based on water levels at tide gauges,” said Anarde. “In general, the thresholds drastically underestimated the number of floods."



"For example, when you subtract floods associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-thousand-years-extreme-storms-are-becoming-much-more-frequent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme storms</a>, we recorded flooding on 122 days in Sea Level."



Professor Anarde noted that tidal gauge data significantly underestimated flood days, showing just 31 (NWS threshold) and 9 (HTF threshold).



The results were inconsistent. The NWS threshold sometimes overestimated the number of flood days as at Carolina Beach, for example. The researchers recorded 65 days of flooding using their system, while the NWS data from the closest tidal gauge identified 120 days of potential flooding.



But it’s not just about how often this happens. The duration of these events was also longer than is captured by the HTF and NWS thresholds. “Essentially, the thresholds don’t adequately account for how long it takes water to drain off of land,” explained Hino.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-data-helps-protect-coasts">Better data helps protect coasts</h2>



When communities are left with poor information, they can’t plan effectively. 



“More accurate information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-flooding-will-soon-be-common-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal</a> flooding can inform where and how we invest resources in building more resilient communities,” said Anarde. “It’s hard to design an efficient solution when you don’t know the scope of the problem.”



“Every community is unique, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution,” added Hino. “But with more accurate data, we can help communities assess what <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-migration-a-good-response-to-climate-change-the-answer-is-complicated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">response strategy</a> is best for them, now and in the future.”



With a clearer understanding of the risks, towns can make smarter choices about infrastructure upgrades and emergency planning. It also helps residents better understand the changes happening around them. 



In the long run, having the right information can mean stronger, safer communities for generations to come.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02326-w">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Coastal flooding is happening far more often than we thought

Flooding has become an unwelcome visitor to many coastal neighborhoods....

Every year, June 5 marks World Environment Day. It's a moment to step back and ask ourselves: What kind of Earth are we leaving behind? It is not just about recycling a bottle or switching off a light - it's about recognizing the deep ties between us and the living planet. 



World Environment Day began in 1972, launched by the United Nations during the Stockholm Conference. Since then, it has become the world’s largest platform for environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">awareness</a>. 



Each year, the campaign takes on a new theme and a new host country. This year, the Republic of Korea leads the campaign with a focus on ending the plastic crisis under the powerful slogan: “Beat Plastic Pollution.”



As we witness floods, wildfires, and droughts with increasing regularity, it becomes clear: the environment is not an isolated issue. It is the foundation of our health, food, safety, and survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ending-plastic-pollution-is-urgent">Ending plastic pollution is urgent</h2>



Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">challenges</a> of our time. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans, rivers, and landscapes. 



Beyond harming wildlife and ecosystems, microplastics have been found in the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe.



The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) emphasizes that plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue but also a health and economic concern. The costs associated with plastic pollution, including cleanup efforts and health impacts, are staggering.



“Plastic pollution is choking our planet - harming ecosystems, well-being, and the climate. Yet there is a movement for urgent change,” noted Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-link-between-plastic-and-climate">The link between plastic and climate</h2>



Plastic production and disposal contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. From the extraction of fossil fuels to the manufacturing process and eventual incineration or degradation, plastics release harmful pollutants into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere</a>.



Moreover, plastic waste in oceans disrupts marine ecosystems, affecting the ocean's ability to sequester carbon dioxide. This disruption exacerbates climate change effects, creating a feedback loop that further harms the environment.



World Environment Day&nbsp;highlights that addressing plastic pollution is a critical step in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-action-on-world-environment-day">Take action on World Environment Day </h2>



While policy changes and corporate responsibility are vital, individual actions play a crucial role in reducing plastic pollution. Simple steps like carrying reusable bags, avoiding single-use plastics, and supporting products with sustainable packaging can collectively make a significant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-turtle-day-2025-ancient-creatures-with-modern-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impact</a>.



Education and awareness are also key. By informing others about the dangers of plastic pollution and advocating for sustainable practices, individuals can drive community-level change.



“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” says <a href="https://www.unccd.int/convention/who-is-who/executive-secretary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ibrahim Thiaw</a>, executive secretary of the UNCCD. His words highlight a key truth: restoration is not about grand gestures. It is about daily habits, done with care and purpose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-movements-driving-local-change">Global movements driving local change</h2>



World Environment Day is not a one-day affair. It energizes thousands of grassroots movements, public campaigns, and international collaborations. 



Initiatives like the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration aim to revive one billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. This ambitious target covers forests, farmlands, wetlands, savannahs, and coastlines.



In Africa, countries are planting trees under the Great Green Wall initiative. In Asia, farmers are restoring rice paddies that absorb carbon. In Latin America, indigenous communities are reviving ancestral water systems. These projects show that environmental change is already underway. It just needs more momentum.



Digital platforms like <a href="https://www.youth4nature.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Youth4Nature</a> are helping young people become restoration stewards. At the same time, institutes like the <a href="https://www.wri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Resources Institute</a> and <a href="https://www.unep.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNEP</a> support policy shifts and data-driven strategies. Together, they create a global network of local solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hope-not-fear-will-restore-the-planet">Hope, not fear, will restore the planet</h2>



Many people feel overwhelmed by the scale of the environmental crisis. That fear is understandable. Fear cannot rebuild soil or plant trees, but hope can. The beauty of restoration is that it begins with simple acts. It is not about undoing the past - it's about shaping the future.



Nature knows how to heal. We just need to give it space, time, and respect. When we restore land, we restore life. We bring back insects that pollinate. Birds that spread seeds. Microbes that make soil fertile. These quiet helpers create a web of resilience. Humans are part of that web.



World Environment Day 2025 urges us to see land not as property but as kin. It breathes when forests sway, feeds when crops ripen, and listens when raindrops fall. When we give back to the land, it gives back in abundance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-environment-day-hope-and-renewal">World Environment Day: Hope and renewal</h2>



Marking World Environment Day is not enough. What matters is what we do after June 5. Will we let the momentum fade, or will we keep it alive in our homes, schools, and workplaces? The answer shapes our shared destiny.



We must build a culture of restoration. One that honors nature not as a resource but as a relative. One that recognizes care as strength, not weakness. In this culture, every act of restoration, no matter how small, becomes an act of resistance, hope, and renewal.



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World Environment Day 2025: Plastic pollution is choking our planet

Every year, June 5 marks World Environment Day. It's a...

Beyond the lively music and familiar clink of pint glasses, the air in Dublin carries something far less visible: fragments of DNA.



A new study has revealed that genetic material from plants, animals, microbes - and even traces of illicit drugs like cannabis and poppy - can be found drifting through the city’s atmosphere.



This discovery showcases the expanding possibilities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-fishing-helps-scientists-survey-marine-life-in-the-deep-ocean/">environmental DNA</a>, or eDNA - genetic material collected not from an animal or plant itself, but from the surrounding environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-airborne-dna-holds-clues-to-life">Airborne DNA holds clues to life</h2>



The new research shows that even the air we breathe contains enough stray DNA to map out species in the area, track disease <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-pandemic-looms-as-pathogens-move-from-wild-plants-to-crops/">pathogens</a>, and detect chemical signatures from human activity.



David Duffy is a professor of wildlife disease genomics at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>. Professor Duffy and his team originally developed their eDNA tools to study sea <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-turtle-day-2025-ancient-creatures-with-modern-challenges/">turtle</a> populations by analyzing samples from water, sand, and soil.



“The level of information that’s available in environmental DNA is such that we’re only starting to consider what the potential applications can be, from humans, to wildlife, to other species that have implications for human health,” said Professor Duffy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-airborne-dna-can-reveal">What airborne DNA can reveal</h2>



Housed at the University of Florida, the <a href="https://www.whitney.ufl.edu/">Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience</a> has since broadened its methods to extract and analyze DNA from nearly any environment - including air.



This DNA, invisible to the naked eye, doesn't just rest on surfaces or float downstream. It also exists freely in the air. The researchers discovered that simple air filters, run for hours or days, could collect large amounts of informative genetic material.



“When we started, it seemed like it would be hard to get intact large fragments of DNA from the air. But that’s not the case. We’re actually finding a lot of informative DNA,” said Professor Duffy.



“That means you can study species without directly having to disturb them, without ever having to see them. It opens up huge possibilities to study all the species in an area simultaneously, from microbes and viruses all the way up to vertebrates like bobcats and humans.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-pathogens-to-pollen">Tracking pathogens to pollen</h2>



As a real-world test, Duffy’s lab set up airborne DNA collection devices in Dublin. The filters picked up traces of hundreds of human pathogens - including viruses and bacteria - floating in the city’s air.



Such monitoring could prove crucial in early detection of disease outbreaks or understanding how infections spread through populations.



The same method can also detect environmental allergens more precisely than current technologies. From pollen to peanut particles, the ability to pinpoint <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-allergy-season-worse-and-longer-lasting/">allergens</a> could transform how doctors advise patients or how public health agencies issue warnings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-monitoring-without-disturbance"><a></a>Wildlife monitoring without disturbance</h2>



Beyond the urban setting, Duffy’s team also tested their approach in the wilds of Florida. There, air filters collected DNA from animals as elusive as bobcats and as small as spiders.



Remarkably, the DNA revealed not only the presence of these animals, but also where they came from - providing location data without relying on sighting reports, camera traps, or scat samples.



Such precision could be a game-changer for conservation. When trying to protect endangered species, knowing their geographic origin can be as critical as knowing their current location.



By tracking this data through the air, scientists can study animals that are rare, shy, or difficult to observe - without ever disturbing them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speed-simplicity-and-global-access"><a></a>Speed, simplicity, and global access</h2>



Perhaps just as impressive as the scope of detection is the speed and affordability of the technique. Duffy’s team showed that a single researcher could analyze all the DNA in an air sample in about a day. 



The process uses compact lab equipment and cloud-based software, lowering the barriers for researchers around the world.



This accessibility makes it possible to deploy eDNA monitoring across ecosystems and cities without requiring vast scientific infrastructure. But with that power comes responsibility. 



Since airborne DNA includes fragments from humans, researchers have urged the creation of ethical standards to guide how this data is handled and shared.



“It seems like science fiction, but it’s becoming science fact,” Duffy said. “The technology is finally matching the scale of environmental problems.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-frontier-for-science"><a></a>A new frontier for science</h2>



As climate change and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/">biodiversity</a> loss pose growing threats, tools like airborne eDNA offer a powerful way to keep track of both wildlife and public health. 



By analyzing one sample, scientists can detect pathogens, pollutants, invasive species, and endangered animals - accelerating environmental responses.



Dublin may be the first city to offer proof of concept. But this approach could soon be used globally - to monitor disease, study ecosystems, or even map how human activity shapes the microscopic life around us. With every breath of air, there’s now a new window into the world we live in.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02711-w">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Airborne DNA can track wildlife, diseases - and even drugs

Beyond the lively music and familiar clink of pint glasses,...

Concept,Nature,Reserve,Conserve,Wildlife,Reserve,Tiger,Deer,Global,Warming

Stand on any hillside on Earth and the view jumps from desert to forest to coast, with each bioregion hosting its own cast of creatures. For decades, naturalists asked why a South American rainforest hosts parrots and jaguars while an African one shelters hornbills and leopards. 



The explanation, many suspected, lies in the deep history of place, not just in climate or chance.



Fresh analysis of records for more than 30,000 species now points to a single thread that stitches those patches together. 



The work hints at clearer forecasts of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-ecosystems-constantly-share-energy-to-achieve-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems will react</a> as the planet warms, dries, and becomes more crowded, and it offers practical clues for anyone trying to keep biodiversity intact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-nature-clusters">Why nature clusters</h2>



The project came from Rubén Bernardo-Madrid of <a href="https://www.umu.se/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Umeå University</a>, Joaquín Calatayud of <a href="https://en.urjc.es/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rey Juan Carlos University</a>, and partners in Sweden, Spain, and the United Kingdom. 



They sliced the globe into the well-known biogeographical regions and traced amphibians, birds, dragonflies, mammals, marine rays, reptiles, and trees across them. 



Order appeared where chaos was expected. In every territory, the team found a robust center that shelters the majority of resident species. 



“In every bioregion, there is always a core area where most species live. From that core, species expand into surrounding areas, but only a subset manages to persist," Bernardo-Madrid explains.



"It seems these cores provide optimal conditions for species survival and diversification, acting as a source from which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-leaks-conservation-efforts-may-shift-harm-elsewhere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity radiates outward</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seven-zones-per-bioregion">Seven zones per bioregion</h2>



The team then mapped seven nested zones inside each bioregion, each with its own mix of widespread residents and highly local specialists. The central belt holds many species; the outer belts hold fewer but often unique ones.



The rule stayed intact whether the subject crawled, flew, swam, or rooted. Trees and marine rays may live worlds apart, yet their distributions echoed the same lattice from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gold-mining-causes-long-lasting-damage-in-the-amazon-rainforest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon Basin</a> to Hudson Bay.



Each bioregion is bounded by barriers that discourage wanderers - an ocean trench, a desert interior, a frosty ridge. Over thousands of generations, those barriers steer evolution down separate paths. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marsupials-are-key-to-healthy-ecosystems-in-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marsupials flourish in Australia</a> because the surrounding sea keeps placental mammals at bay. Likewise, venomous vipers fill Central America but fade near the Andean wall.



Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace drew the first <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-wallace-line-a-natural-border-that-no-species-crosses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">broad outlines of these divisions</a> in the 1800s, yet their maps were blunt instruments. 



Modern databases, satellite imagery, and museum collections now let researchers slice the globe with much finer resolution, revealing hidden borders such as Wallace’s Line between Borneo and Sulawesi, where Asian and Australasian fauna still collide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-bioregion-cores-stay-rich">How bioregion cores stay rich</h2>



Central zones usually enjoy milder temperatures, steadier rains, and larger habitat blocks - conditions that cushion populations against droughts, fires, or disease. Over time, those safe harbors spark new species, so the core doubles as nursery and archive.



Farther out, tougher climates and sharper competition thin the roster. The survivors often evolve in isolation, explaining why a corner of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mouse-lemurs-of-madagascar-are-threatened-with-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Madagascar</a> or a Panamanian ridge can host creatures found nowhere else.



Environmental filtering, long a core idea in ecology, emerged as the engine behind the seven-zone scheme. 



If an organism cannot cope with a site’s heat, salt, or altitude, it fails to gain a foothold. Global evidence for that rule had been patchy until now.



Calatayud notes, “The predictability of the pattern and its association with environmental filters can help us better understand how biodiversity may respond to global change.” 



In practice, that insight lets conservation planners model vulnerability without guessing region by region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-conservation">Implications for conservation</h2>



Budgets for conservation are finite, and field crews often face tough choices on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beehive-fences-keep-elephants-from-raiding-farms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">where to place fences</a> or patrols. Knowing that a region’s biological bank lies in its core offers a clear target. 



Guarding that nucleus secures most species, while a few carefully placed reserves at the fringes hold the irreplaceable endemics that give every landscape its distinct feel.



The Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution paper highlights how a rainforest refuge the size of a county, or a string of barrier islands, can buoy entire landscapes. Protect those pockets from mining or ill-planned sprawl, and the wider biome stands a better chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-bioregions-and-the-future">Humans, bioregions, and the future</h2>



The new rule surfaces as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-humans-are-warming-the-planet-faster-than-ever-before/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">humans alter habitats</a> faster than many species can adjust, while warming nudges climatic bands roughly 12 miles north each decade. 



With a consistent framework, researchers can forecast which cores may shrink or shift and where fresh refuges might form. 



Some centers may have to leap uphill or poleward to survive, dragging dependent species along a gauntlet of highways, farms, and cities.



More data will sharpen those forecasts, yet the message is already clear. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/effective-conservation-efforts-key-to-saving-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biodiversity is not random</a>; it follows a sturdy, planet-wide logic. 



By working with that logic, communities can steer scarce resources toward the spots that quietly keep life thriving - and in turn secure our own future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02724-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Scientists discover one simple rule that explains all life on Earth

Stand on any hillside on Earth and the view jumps...

Rising sea levels are a constant reminder of how climate change is reshaping reef ecosystems around the world. 



New research reveals that the Great Barrier Reef might be able to keep pace with rising waters alone, but when combined with other environmental pressures, its future becomes much less certain.



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have dug deep - literally - to understand how reefs have responded to dramatic changes in the past.



Using fossil reef cores extracted from beneath the Great Barrier Reef, they uncovered important clues. These cores, which serve as geological time capsules, show that rapid sea level rise alone did not lead to the downfall of an ancient version known as Reef 4.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-seas-shape-ancient-reefs">Rising seas shape ancient reefs</h2>



The study focused on how the reef ecosystem evolved from about 13,000 to 10,000 years ago. This period includes a particularly intense phase called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-sea-level-rose-by-18-meters-after-the-last-ice-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meltwater Pulse</a> 1B. 



During this 350-year window, sea levels rose sharply as polar ice sheets melted under warmer global temperatures.



“This 350-year period is crucial; it covers a time when global sea levels rose very rapidly,” said Professor Jody Webster from the&nbsp;School of Geosciences. 



“It’s a period when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-polar-ice-sheets-cant-withstand-1-5c-warming-target/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polar ice sheets</a> are thought to have experienced accelerated melting due to warming temperatures," he said. "Based on records from Barbados, we previously thought sea levels were rising by about 40 millimeters a year at this time."



"Our research shows the rise wasn’t so large and fast. It was more likely to have been in the order of three to five millimeters a year, comparable to what we’re experiencing today.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-from-reef-four">Learning from Reef Four</h2>



The fossil reef cores tell the story of Reef Four, the so-called proto-Great Barrier Reef. Extracted from the shelf edge at depths between 40 and 50 meters, these cores revealed that Reef Four had a structure and coral community very much like today’s reef.



“Reef Four is very exciting,” said Professor Webster. “It had a similar morphology and mix of coral reef communities to the modern Great Barrier Reef."



"The types of algae and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-reef-awareness-day-2025-bringing-corals-back-to-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corals</a>, and their growth rates, are comparable. Understanding the environmental changes that influenced it, and led to its ultimate demise, therefore offers clues on what might happen to the modern reef.”



Following its collapse, Reef Four’s ecosystem didn’t disappear altogether. Over 1,000–2,000 years, it moved landward, forming the foundation of today’s Great Barrier Reef.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-will-the-great-barrier-reef-survive">Will the Great Barrier Reef survive?</h2>



Today’s Great Barrier Reef is under mounting environmental pressure. While it has endured natural changes over thousands of years, the challenges it faces today are more complex and widespread. Scientists warn that its future could look very different if current trends continue.



“The modern reef faces <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rising sea levels</a>, more heat waves and extensive bleaching, along with increasing sediment and nutrient input. This combination, on top of rising sea levels, is of deep concern," Professor Webster said. 



"If the current trajectory continues, we should be concerned about whether the Great Barrier Reef will survive the next 50 to 100 years in its current state.”



“It won’t die but its characteristics may change. We will see a different collection of coral species, perhaps simpler and not as structurally complex.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-can-learn-from-the-past">What we can learn from the past </h2>



To carry out this research, the team used radiometric dating to precisely match fossil coral samples to the period of Meltwater Pulse 1B. The cores were collected through the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), a collaborative marine research initiative involving 21 countries.



“These data allow us to more precisely understand how reef and coastal ecosystems have responded to rapid environmental changes, like the rises in sea level and temperature we face today,” said Professor Webster.



The value of these ancient records is hard to overstate. Unlike modern instrumental records, which span only the past century or so, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-animals-become-fossils-while-others-just-disappear/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil cores</a> stretch back thousands of years. They provide an irreplaceable window into how ecosystems have weathered - and sometimes failed to weather - rapid climate shifts in the past.



As the Great Barrier Reef stands at a critical point in its history, lessons from its ancient predecessor offer a sobering glimpse of what might lie ahead.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59858-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Ancient coral collapse may help save the Great Barrier Reef

Rising sea levels are a constant reminder of how climate...

Over the past few decades, a section of the Amazon rainforest has experienced conditions far drier than usual. Scientists launched a project to understand how reduced rainfall might change this green stronghold.



Lucy Rowland, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a>, is part of the team that has monitored this forest region for more than 20 years. The efforts are closely tied to an international collaboration aimed at <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02702-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documenting</a> the rainforest’s response to stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-amazon-stores-carbon">How the Amazon stores carbon </h2>



Much of the Amazon serves as a critical buffer against rising <a href="https://www.climate.gov/ghg/what-are-greenhouse-gases-and-why-do-they-matter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse gases</a>. This status is due to the enormous amount of carbon dioxide the rainforest can hold, as supported by prior <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1164033" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> on tree mortality patterns. 



The forests soak up carbon and help regulate global temperatures. For years, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traditional-forest-farming-is-an-overlooked-climate-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> researchers have wondered what prolonged dryness might mean for this natural reservoir. 



In previous studies, experts at NASA's <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-led-project-tracking-changes-to-water-ecosystems-land-surface/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> used satellites to track vegetation and water content. Together, the data provides a clearer picture of the interplay between ground-level forest conditions and broader atmospheric cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drought-changed-the-forest-canopy">Drought changed the forest canopy</h2>



The <a href="https://www.esecaflor.ufpa.br/index_eng.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Esecaflor project</a>, located in the Caxiuana National Forest, set out to examine how lower soil moisture affects tree growth and overall forest vitality. 



To make sense of long-term trends, instruments were placed on living trunks, in the soil, and on tall metal towers overlooking the canopy. Regular measurements helped gauge tree health by tracking sap flow, leaf water status, and other key markers.



“We saw a really big decline in biomass, big losses and mortality of the largest trees,” said Professor Rowland.



Early observations showed that mature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-forests-helps-birds-and-humans-in-many-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> could keep growing, but many eventually showed signs of water stress. Their absence made light and heat more noticeable in spots that had once been shaded by leafy crowns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-amazon-balanced-its-carbon-role">How the Amazon balanced its carbon role</h2>



Over time, the thinning canopy led to new conditions for surviving vegetation. Younger stands, with different rooting strategies, began to flourish. 



The researchers discovered that when big, older trunks no longer competed for water, the rest of the forest slowly reached a new balance.



To interpret these patterns, investigators gathered data on how much water remained in the top layers of soil. Seasonal rainfall could not keep moisture levels high enough for every plant, but it proved sufficient for those that adapted to drier conditions. 



Eventually, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-carbon-credits-are-failing-so-what-needs-to-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest</a> patch held a steady balance instead of losing more vegetation - indicating a move toward stability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-forest-recovery">Next steps for forest recovery</h2>



“The forest has already adapted. Now we want to understand what happens next,” said meteorologist João de Athaydes, study co-author and professor at the <a href="https://ufpa.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of Para</a>. 



“The idea is to see whether the forest can regenerate and return to the baseline from when we started the project.”



Many plastic covers were pulled from the ground to see how the site responds when rain returns to typical levels.



Teams are watching the root growth beneath the soil, the air’s temperature, and the steady change in soil moisture. Researchers hope to learn if the forest can regain enough dense foliage to restart substantial carbon uptake. 



An even bigger question is whether the site might reach a state similar to its early days before rainfall was reduced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-amazon-carbon-loss-matters">Why Amazon carbon loss matters</h2>



Environmental scientists worry about widespread drought events in the Amazon. Extended dryness, triggered by El Niño patterns, has been documented over many years. 



The implications include stress on wildlife, changes in local climates, and potential spikes in greenhouse gases if too many large trees succumb.



The Esecaflor experiment highlights how a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-are-still-fighting-climate-change-against-all-odds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest</a> ecosystem might transform under drier circumstances. Though parts of this tract survived with reduced canopy cover, that survival came with lower capacity to store carbon. 



If the broader Amazon faces similarly harsh conditions, the global climate picture could shift considerably.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-amazon-has-its-carbon-limits">The Amazon has its carbon limits</h2>



The findings from this <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02702-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> suggest that some resilience remains in tropical rainforests. Yet, the results serve as a reminder that even these robust ecosystems have limits when faced with less rainfall. 



The years of dryness in this experiment did not convert the area into grassland, which offers a sign of hope.



Scientists involved in this research will continue to share data with policymakers and other academic institutions. Discussions at international gatherings demonstrate the urgency of protecting vital carbon sinks and reinforcing conservation efforts. 



In places like the Amazon, practical measures that support forest health can be pivotal in stabilizing our changing climate.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02702-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Dry spells weaken the Amazon's ability to store carbon

Over the past few decades, a section of the Amazon...

World Seaweed Day, celebrated on June 4, shines a spotlight on a vital yet often overlooked marine plant. Seaweed plays a key role in ocean ecosystems, supports diverse marine life, and benefits a wide range of human industries - from nutrition and agriculture to scientific research and climate solutions.



The day aims to boost awareness and inspire greater investment in this valuable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seaweed-farming-could-boost-food-security-slow-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resource</a>. As seaweed farming expands, so too does global interest in its wide-ranging potential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-seaweed-day-needs-global-attention">World Seaweed Day needs global attention</h2>



Seaweed forms the base of many <a href="https://www.seaweed.ie" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal ecosystems</a>. One of the most important types is kelp - a large brown seaweed that grows in cold, nutrient-rich waters. It attaches to rocks on the seafloor and rises toward the surface, forming thick underwater forests.



Kelp forests support high biodiversity. Fish, crabs, sea urchins, and sea otters all live, hunt, or breed among the kelp. Juvenile fish use the dense fronds as shelter from predators. Many invertebrates feed directly on the kelp or on the microorganisms living on its surface.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kelp-forests-in-crisis-how-toxic-turf-algae-are-taking-over/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelp</a> grows quickly - some species grow up to half a meter per day. As it grows, kelp absorbs carbon dioxide from seawater and produces oxygen. This helps reduce local ocean acidification. Kelp also slows water movement, which protects shorelines from erosion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indicators-of-ocean-health">Indicators of ocean health</h2>



In regions like California, Tasmania, and British Columbia, kelp forests are key parts of the coastal food web. They also support commercial fisheries and ecotourism. 



When kelp declines due to warming waters or sea urchin overgrazing, the entire ecosystem feels the impact. That’s why scientists monitor kelp closely as an indicator of ocean health.



Seaweed also protects coasts. It stabilizes sediment and slows wave action. These functions reduce coastal erosion. Seaweed adapts better than coral to temperature shifts and acidic waters. That makes it a useful tool in marine conservation.



Researchers continue to study how seaweed interacts with other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sargassum-seaweed-a-growing-problem-could-become-a-sustainable-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> and how it might reduce ocean acidification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-traditional-and-modern-food">A traditional and modern food</h2>



In many countries, people have eaten seaweed for centuries. It is part of everyday diets in Japan, Korea, China, and parts of India. It offers key nutrients such as iodine, calcium, iron, and vitamin K. It also adds natural flavor, especially umami.



Now, global markets are adopting seaweed as a food product. It appears in snacks, sauces, and health supplements. It is low in calories and high in fiber. It also suits vegan and gluten-free diets.



Seaweed farming does not use soil or fresh water, which makes it more sustainable than many land crops. As global food systems face pressure, seaweed provides an efficient and low-impact option.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seaweed-farming-and-local-economies">Seaweed farming and local economies</h2>



Seaweed farming is simple and low-cost. Farmers tie seaweed to ropes and let it grow in coastal waters. In countries like Indonesia, India, and the Philippines, these farms create jobs, often for women.



Besides supporting income, seaweed farms improve the environment. Seaweed absorbs excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients cause algae blooms in polluted waters. Seaweed helps reduce that risk and restore balance.



Governments and NGOs are working to scale seaweed production. The goal is to improve both rural incomes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-the-evolutionary-adaptations-of-seagrasses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-seaweed-day-and-climate-action">World Seaweed Day and climate action</h2>



Seaweed absorbs carbon while growing. Some researchers suggest that large-scale seaweed farms could help remove carbon from the atmosphere. This process is still being studied. One idea involves sinking harvested seaweed deep into the ocean to store carbon long-term.



Another tested solution involves livestock. Adding small amounts of red seaweed to cattle feed reduces their methane emissions. Trials show up to 80 percent reduction in some cases.



Seaweed will not solve climate change alone. But it can support broader strategies through carbon capture and reduced agricultural emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-industrial-uses-and-new-research">Industrial uses and new research</h2>



Seaweed has applications far beyond food. It appears in cosmetics, fertilizers, packaging, and pharmaceuticals. Extracts from seaweed act as thickeners, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory agents.



Researchers also study seaweed-based materials for biodegradable plastics and fabric. In construction, seaweed-derived products may improve insulation. Interest is growing because seaweed is renewable, versatile, and relatively easy to grow.



Innovation in this field depends on research funding, fair supply chains, and environmental monitoring.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-seaweed-farming">Challenges of seaweed farming</h2>



Despite its benefits, seaweed farming still faces challenges. Many farmers lack secure access to coastal waters. In some regions, laws are unclear or missing. Infrastructure is often weak, and small producers have limited market access.



Uncontrolled harvesting also poses a threat. Some regions cut seaweed from wild stocks without considering long-term impact. Poor practices can damage ecosystems.



To avoid these risks, governments must support training, regulations, and monitoring. A balance is needed between industry growth and environmental protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-action-on-world-seaweed-day">Take action on World Seaweed Day </h2>



Taking action on World Seaweed Day can start with something as simple as learning more about the role seaweed plays in ocean health and climate solutions. 



You can support sustainable seaweed products by choosing foods, cosmetics, or packaging made with responsibly harvested or farmed seaweed. 



Sharing what you learn on social media or with friends helps spread awareness and encourage others to take interest. 



If you live near a coast, you might look into local seaweed farming initiatives or marine conservation programs to volunteer with or support. 



Even small actions like asking for more seaweed-based options at your grocery store can help drive change. You can also donate to organizations that support seaweed and ocean sustainability, such as the <a href="https://www.kelpforestfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelp Forest Foundation</a>.



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World Seaweed Day 2025: Saving the ocean’s sustainable powerhouse

World Seaweed Day, celebrated on June 4, shines a spotlight...

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, or AMOC, is a giant system of ocean currents that shuttles warm surface water northward and returns cold, dense water to the south at depth. 



For years, climate scientists have worried that rising greenhouse-gas emissions could cripple this "conveyor belt" in the Atlantic Ocean.



A shutdown of the AMOC is prominently featured in worst-case climate scenarios, raising the specter of abrupt cooling in Europe, shifts in African and South Asian monsoons, and faster regional sea-level rise.



However, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Institute of Technology</a> (Caltech) suggests that while the AMOC is indeed poised to weaken, it is unlikely to experience the dramatic near-collapse forecast by some computer models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-atlantic-models-re-examined">Atlantic models re-examined</h2>



The study combines a streamlined physical model of ocean circulation with two decades of direct observations collected by trans-Atlantic monitoring arrays.



Lead author Dave Bonan, who completed the work as a Caltech doctoral student, explains that standard climate models differ wildly in how they simulate today’s AMOC and therefore in how they project its future.



Instead of attempting to reconcile all of those complex simulations, Bonan’s team identified a single - but crucial - physical relationship: the link between the current’s strength, its depth, and its sensitivity to surface warming and freshening.



The analysis concludes that by 2100, the AMOC will slow by roughly 18 to 43 percent, depending on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2023-climate-change-report-record-high-temperatures-greenhouse-gases-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse-gas emissions</a>. That is a significant reduction, but far short of the 60–80 percent declines, or near-total collapses, that some earlier studies implied.



“Our results imply that, rather than a substantial decline, the AMOC is more likely to experience a limited decline over the 21st century - still some weakening, but less drastic than previous projections suggest,” Bonan said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-establishing-the-depth-of-the-amoc">Establishing the depth of the AMOC</h2>



The researchers discovered that present-day model biases stem largely from how deep each model’s AMOC extends.



A stronger, deeper overturning cell allows climatic changes at the surface - warmer temperatures and an influx of freshwater from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/">melting</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/">ice</a> - to penetrate farther downward. That penetration erodes the density contrasts that power the circulation, leading to a bigger slowdown.



Models that start with a shallower AMOC simulate less surface-driven change and therefore a milder weakening. Because real-world observations show that the actual AMOC lies somewhere in between those extremes, the team’s new estimate falls in the mid-range as well.



To anchor their model, the scientists drew on 20 years of data from moored instruments that continuously measure temperature, salinity, and current speed along 26.5° N and other latitudes in the Atlantic. 



The records provided a reality check for the model’s present-day state and narrowed the plausible range of future outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capturing-the-ocean-s-structure">Capturing the ocean's structure </h2>



A weakening of roughly one-fifth to two-fifths still has consequences. Slower heat transport would cool parts of northern Europe, raise regional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-did-sea-levels-rise-after-the-last-ice-age-alarming-new-clues-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea levels</a> along the U.S. East Coast, and alter precipitation patterns in the tropics.



Yet the new forecast suggests those effects will be less abrupt than feared, giving societies more time to adapt. It also refocuses scientific attention on model fidelity: improving how models capture today’s ocean structure may be as important as tweaking how they respond to greenhouse gases.



Study co-author Andrew Thompson, a professor of environmental science and engineering at Caltech, argued that the work provides a “road map” for testing next-generation, higher-resolution <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-temperature-increase-2023-blew-past-all-climate-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate models</a>.



Those AMOC models resolve smaller eddies and better represent how winds, mixing, and ice melt influence the circulation. The team’s framework can now be used to gauge whether added complexity brings projections closer to observation-anchored reality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncertainties-in-climate-simulations">Uncertainties in climate simulations</h2>



Bonan credits the freedom afforded by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program for allowing him to pursue a question that sits at the intersection of theory and observation.



“The NSF-GFRP gave me the freedom to tinker and explore,” he said. By stripping the problem to its physics and cross-checking with real measurements, the team could sidestep many of the uncertainties that plague full-scale climate simulations.



Tapio Schneider, a professor of environmental science and engineering and senior author of the study, notes that fundamental research of this kind complements, rather than contradicts, traditional modeling.



Understanding why models diverge could let us improve them. It also helps policymakers see that while the AMOC is vulnerable, a catastrophic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-tipping-points-how-close-are-we-to-irreversible-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tipping point</a> is not the likeliest outcome this century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-the-atlantic-ocean-current-system">Future of the Atlantic ocean current system</h2>



The authors emphasize that their findings do not reduce the urgency of cutting emissions. A 20–40 percent slowdown in the AMOC would still amplify coastal flooding risks and disrupt weather patterns that billions of people rely on.



Moreover, other climate tipping elements - from West Antarctic ice shelves to Amazon rainforests - remain sensitive to continued warming.



“There is immense value in doing basic research - it can give us a better indication of what the future might look like, as our study shows,” Bonan said.



In short, the Atlantic ocean current system appears sturdier than some dire forecast models suggested, but it is far from immune to the mounting pressure of greenhouse gases.



Better models, grounded in real-world data, now paint a clearer picture of what lies ahead - and underscore the stakes of curbing global warming while there is still time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01709-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



Image Credit: NOAA



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Atlantic ocean current system will weaken, but is unlikely to collapse

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, or AMOC, is a giant...

A huge mass of ice, rocks, and mud from a glacier collapse swept across part of the Swiss Alps. It came from a section of the Birch Glacier that broke off on May 28, 2025, sending debris barreling into the village of Blatten.



Around 300 people lived in Blatten, which was placed under evacuation orders well before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/powerful-antarctic-winds-speed-up-melting-of-doomsday-glacier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">collapse</a> took place. One person remains missing, and most of Blatten now lies under rubble.



Dr. Mylène Jacquemart, a researcher at <a href="https://ethz.ch/de.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> in Switzerland, has spent years studying glacier stability in mountainous regions. She notes that in some circumstances, large portions of glaciers may weaken, leading to ice avalanches and landslides that are hard to predict.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-collapse-hit-after-warnings">Glacier collapse hit after warnings</h2>



Helicopter and drone footage shows a torrent of ice, rocks, and snow surging down from a steep slope. These materials covered the hillside and much of Blatten, forcing the valley’s population to flee.



Warnings had circulated for weeks after scientists detected cracks in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/current-climate-goals-arent-enough-to-stop-massive-glacier-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a>’s leading edge.



Local authorities arranged emergency drills and urged livestock owners to move their animals to lower ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blocked-river-raises-flood-risk">Blocked river raises flood risk</h2>



Satellite images suggest the debris field from the glacier collapse has entered the bed of the <a href="https://rivermap.org/map/?inf=71#lat=46.795900&amp;lng=8.201300&amp;zoom=7.000000&amp;topic=water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lonza River</a>, raising fears of a backup of water and mud in the newly formed barrier. That blocked flow may pose a flood risk if the obstacle gives way.



Hydrologists are examining the situation around Blatten to figure out how to stabilize the debris or safely divert the river flow. An uncontrolled lake formation could jeopardize other communities along the valley.



“Nature is stronger than man. The mountain people know that. But today, we experienced an extraordinary event. The event has left us speechless, and it’s shocking to see the images,” said Swiss Federal Councilor <a href="https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home/detec/federal-councillor-albert-roesti/personal-details.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Albert Rösti</a> at a press conference on May 28, 2025.&nbsp;



While major disasters like this are not a daily sight in the Alps, they highlight the importance of monitoring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/half-of-the-worlds-glaciers-can-be-saved-with-strong-climate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a>. Residents in high-altitude regions rely on accurate assessments of unstable ice zones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-factors-in-the-alps">Climate factors in the Alps</h2>



Warmer summer seasons have led to increased glacier melt, which can loosen the ice that holds rocky slopes together. 



Researchers say this type of process often causes rockfalls and ice avalanches across glaciated regions.



Data collected by <a href="https://www.glamos.ch/#/B45-04">Glacier Monitoring Switzerland</a> indicates that Swiss glaciers lost around 10% of their volume between 2022 and 2023. Many scientists associate these losses with rising air temperatures.



“Clearly, events like the one in Blatten - at this point a complex process cascade - are incredibly rare, and so quantifying the changes to them is no easy feat,” said Dr. Jacquemart.



She highlights that the frequency of large-scale glacier collapses has always been irregular. Unstable ice, rising temperatures, and increased meltwater all complicate predictions, especially in areas with tall, steep mountains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-glacier-collapsed">Why the glacier collapsed </h2>



A collapse often stems from fractures in the ice, but the sudden size of this release may involve water pressure beneath the glacier. 



Engineers suspect that meltwater can work its way between the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountain-glaciers-face-centuries-of-irreversible-loss-if-warming-surpasses-1-5c/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice</a> and the rocky ground. In Blatten, entire swaths of forest have been flattened. Hillsides stripped of vegetation raise concerns about greater erosion. 



Local roads remain impassable, and relief teams have been setting up temporary routes for heavy machinery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-areas-are-more-at-risk">Some areas are more at risk</h2>



Parts of the Swiss Alps are known for their narrow valleys. A large landslide or avalanche can accumulate in channels where the terrain prevents debris from dispersing widely.



Experts note that repeated melting and refreezing in cracks within the bedrock can destabilize slopes. This effect might explain why certain peaks, such as the <a href="https://peakery.com/kleines-nesthorn-switzerland/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kleines Nesthorn</a> near Blatten, show fresh signs of debris movement.



“But would this have happened without climate change? Quite possibly so. The fundamental question for hazard management is whether there is a significant shift in how often certain events happen,” said Dr. Jacquemart.



Her recent <a href="https://ica-abs.copernicus.org/articles/9/41/2025/ica-abs-9-41-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> explores the link between glacial retreat and slope stability. She remarks that scientists do not yet see a clear indication these large events are becoming a near-annual problem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aftermath-of-the-glacier-collapse">Aftermath of the glacier collapse </h2>



Researchers from various Swiss institutions plan to measure how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice</a> and rock broke away from the glacier. They will evaluate conditions along the glacier’s remaining shelf, checking for more cracks or hidden cavities.



Local geology labs intend to collect samples of the rubble to help identify sudden changes in ice composition and see if any geological factors contributed to the event. These findings may guide updates to hazard mapping and early warning systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-recovery-efforts">Local recovery efforts</h2>



Evacuated families have set up temporary living arrangements in nearby towns. The community is working with regional authorities to coordinate relief, though it is uncertain when it will be safe to return.



Many villagers worry about the long-term impacts on livelihoods tied to agriculture and tourism in this mountainous part of Valais. 



Insurance companies and government offices will likely assess property loss as soon as conditions allow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-glacier-collapse-monitoring">Improving glacier collapse monitoring</h2>



Despite the scale of destruction, local authorities are collaborating with scientists to strengthen glacier surveillance in the coming years.



Some propose extended deployment of radar and thermal cameras that scan high-risk zones.



Many in the region hope these methods will provide faster alerts, giving residents extra time to leave if a slope threatens to collapse. Such action might help avert future tragedies in remote Alpine communities.



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Glacier collapse buried a village in the Swiss Alps

A huge mass of ice, rocks, and mud from a...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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